President Trump says more law enforcement needed to combat opioid epidemic

President Trump says more law enforcement needed to combat opioid epidemic

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Updated: 10:33 PM EDT Aug 8, 2017

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WEBVTT PRESIDENT ON THE OPIOID CRISIS,AND INSISTED LAW ENFORCEMENT WASKEY.PRESIDENT TRUMP: NOBODY IS SAFEFROM THIS DRUG EPIDEMIC THATTHREATENS URBAN AND RURALCOMMUNITIES.ANCHOR: PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYINGTODAY, THAT DRUG PROSECUTIONSHAVE GONE DOWN IN RECENT YEARSMAKING REFERENCE TO ENFORCEMENTUNDER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, >> AT THE EN OF 2016, THEREWERE 23% FEWER THAN IN 2011.THEY LOOK AT THIS SCOURGE ANDLET IT GO BY.WE'RE NOT LETTING IT GO BY.THE AVERAGE SENTENCE FOR A DRUGOFFENDER DECREASED FROM 201 TO2016.>> TRUMP ALSO ADVOCATED FORABSTINENCE-BASED TREATMENT.>> THE BEST WAY PREVENTPROBLEMS IS TO PREVENT ABUSINGDRUGS IN THE FIRST PLACE.>> BUT STEPHANIE BERGERONEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SERENITYPLACE SAYS A LAW ENFORCEMENTCRACKDOWN AND DRUG ABSTINENCEARE OVER-SIMPLIFICATIONS OF HOWTO SOLVE THE COMPLICATED DRUGISSUE.>> I THINK HE'S TALKING ABOUTSOME PIECES OF THE PIE, BUTTHERE ARE SO MANY LAYERS TOTHIS.WHEN EVERYTHING IS ADDRESSEDAPPROPRIATELY, THAT'S WHEN WE'REMAKING PROGRESS AS A COMMUNITY.>> SENATOR MAGGIE HASSAN AGREEDWITH BERGERON, SAYING HE IHAPPY THE PRESIDENT WAS BRIEFED,>> PEOPLE CONTINUE TO DIEEVERYDAY FROM THIS TERRIBLEEPIDEMIC SO IT IS ABSOLUTEESSENTIAL THAT WE ALL CONTINUETO WORK TOGETHER TO COMBAT IT ATEVERY LEVEL.ANCHOR: PRESIDENT TRUMP DID NOTANNOUNCE ANY NEW SPECIFIC POLICYDURING THE MEETINGLAST WEEK HE WAS CRITICIZED FOR

President Trump says more law enforcement needed to combat opioid epidemic

President Donald Trump said stronger law enforcement is needed to combat the opioid crisis after he was briefed Tuesday by the secretary of Health and Human Services and the acting director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.